In response to the growing demand for housing worldwide, England-based Malaysian architecture student Haseef Rafiei came up with a concept featuring a combined-use skyscraper (with commercial pods located within the lower levels of the tower)doubling as an oversized vending machine for 3D printed space.

The "vending machine" skyscraper is estimated to be 295-foot wide and 66-foot deep.[/caption]

The unique idea, which won Rafiei an honorable mention at eVolo Magazine’s 2017 Skyscraper Competition, was inspired by the biological concept of growth and reproductive nature from the Metabolism Movement of Japan in the sixties.

It also addresses the issue of wasted materials by using a high-precision, mass construction method like 3D printing.

So how does it work?

“Think of the building as a large frame housing different affordable, modular homes,” said the 25-year-old architecture student.

First, you decide on the number and type of pods you want—whether it is residential, commercial, or both. Based on that decision, you choose the amenities such as kitchens, bathrooms or conference rooms for the sub pods.

Then, you can specify the location you like. But according to Rafiei, it’s the software’s calculations (for structural safety sake) that ultimately determine the location, view, and of course, price of your entire purchase.

Roughly the size of an overhead bridge crane, will this be the biggest 3D printer ever?[/caption]

Once the pods are printed, they will be transported by mobile cranes and mechanical arms, and plugged into the site. All in all, from entering your order to having a pod fully installed, the entire process is estimated to take 24 hours to complete. Ideally.

Given this is a concept after all, naturally there are still many questions yet-to-be-answered. But realistically, is this building even viable?

“No,” said David Dixon—Principal and Urban Group Leader at Stantec in Boston, “at least not right now due to the cost.”

According to the urban planning expert, for a super structure like this to get built in Tokyo, the development, engineering and design costs would be monstrous. Even if it does materialize, it’s likely another, albeit intriguing, luxury concept for people who can actually afford it.

Insofar as housing solution is concerned, Dixon considers a partnership between developers and government to be a better option.

Take the One Charlestown in Boston as an example, the government offers a piece of land for free in exchange for using the profits from building market rate housing to pay for making roughly one third of the units affordable to very low income or public housing families. “To me, the solution is less about construction, but more about tapping the rising value of land in cities by offering developers the right to build more density in return for creating substantial amounts of affordable housing,” he said.

From an engineering perspective, David Farnsworth—Principal of renowned engineering and design consultancy Arup in New York—reckons this structure could be viable provided there are some design developments ensuring that code requirements are met.

It's no accident that Rafiei chose Tokyo for his skyscraper concept. "The proliferation of vending machines in Tokyo is impossible to ignore," he noted.[/caption]

Although he believes the Pod could be commercially viable if repeated at a large enough scale, but at this point, the consultancy principal agrees with Dixon that the initial project would not be financially sound given the associated significant engineering and prototype development costs.

Nevertheless, both experts see the concept’s potential in disrupting the real estate industry.

“Unlike the massive investment up front in developing a 70-story building plus finding the sales people to sell each individual unit, it’s quite a genius idea to start with a lower structure and grow based on demand,” said Dixon.

While the first Pod will certainly be an expensive prototype, Farnsworth reckons the 'vending machine' skyscraper will eventually outshine off-site prefabrication in terms of efficiency. He added,

In theory, you could add a structure like this anywhere in the world, and people could tailor make their desired space anywhere they want plus get it made in 24 hours. The efficiency and personalization of this product is highly empowering, and it could work as a sale or rental property, office, hotel, or who knows what else.

Which is why, noted Farnsworth, "This wouldn't just be a piece of real estate, but a fully expandable product that could meet local market demand."

Splitting my time between New York and Hong Kong, I’m always on the prowl for the latest and greatest restaurants, food trends, and style news. I have contributed to ELLE (Hong Kong), The Knot, The Wall Street Journal Asia, and Valentino (Asia Pacific). As a history buff, I...